Dealing with Damp & Mould in London Homes

If you live in London, you already know about the damp climate we experience in the UK capital; the city sits on a large bed of clay called the Thames Valley Basin and this means water retention, with wet ground and that moisture can rise up the walls of buildings, causing serious damage over time.

What is rising damp?

Building materials are porous and ground moisture draws up walls using capillary action, which is why every building should have a damp proof course (DPC) installed between the first few brickwork courses. If any part of the building touches the brickwork above the DPC line, this creates a bridge for damp to cross and it will gradually climb the structure, causing damage to masonry, render, mortar and timber. If you book an independent damp survey from London Damp Specialists and our certified surveyor finds rising damp, they would make treatment recommendations that might include repair of the existing DPC or to inject a chemical DPC foam that creates an impenetrable moisture barrier.

Condensation

When cold meets warm, water droplets can form on hard surfaces, on the warm side, such as windows, timber frames and walls and this can cause damage to the external and internal walls. One effective measure to combat condensation is to generate a positive airflow, as this dries out the air inside the house. You can do this by opening a few windows in key locations, plus the use of extractor fans also creates ventilation. 

Penetrating damp

Moisture that enters a building via the roof or external walls is known as penetrating damp, while rising damp comes directly from the ground. Damp travels through building materials with capillary action and once it enters the interior of a house, it causes plaster to crumble and paint to bubble, both of which are tell-tale signs of penetrating damp.

Timber rot

Known as wet and dry rot, these fungi attack timber and are known to be a health hazard if prolonged exposure occurs. Mould comes in black, green and a light brown colour and black mould can lead to serious respiratory disease if the occupants are exposed to the mould for any length of time. Dry rot demands a different treatment to wet rot and with a top damp-proofing specialist in your corner, damp will soon be a thing of the past. While we do not do damp-proofing work, we do have a close working relationship with an established London damp-proofing company that gives a 30-year guarantee on all their work.

Woodworm

Both the Death Watch Beetle and the Common Furniture Beetle present a threat to London properties; these insects thrive in damp conditions and the female burrows tiny holes in wood and bury their eggs deep inside timber. Once the larvae hatch, they consume wood pulp and if nothing is done, the cycle will continue. Tell-tale signs include rows of minute holes with small mounds of wood dust and you might notice small white eggs and the occasional dead adult.

If you suspect that any form of damp is present in your London home, call London Damp Specialists on 020 7205 4886 or complete the online survey booking form and you will hear from us in good time.